Primary Navigation

History (HIST)

HIST 173
(GH;IL)
Vietnam in War and Peace (3) Rise of nationalism and communism; origins of conflict; United States involvement; impact on postwar regional and international politics; contemporary Vietnam.

HIST 173 Vietnam in War and Peace (3)
(GH;IL)

(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements.

The small Southeast Asian nation of Vietnam remained an obscure and exotic land, relatively unknown to the rest of the world until the mid-twentieth century when it became the scene of a military and political struggle with important global implications. History 173 examines two interrelated topics: 1) the long history and unique culture of Vietnam and its peoples, extending from prehistory to the present; and 2) Vietnam's constant struggle over several millennia-to secure its independence in the face of continual military, political, social, and economic pressure from outsiders, especially the Chinese, the French, and the Americans. The course includes special focus on the physical geography of Vietnam; the anthropological origins of its people; the evolution of its unique culture, folklore, and legends; its long-term struggle against Chinese military and cultural aggression; its role as a colony in the French global empire; the rise of nationalism and communism in Vietnam; the origins of global conflict in Vietnam in the post-World War II and Cold War world; the conduct of military, political, diplomatic, and economic affairs of France, the United States, North and South Vietnam, and other nations during the wars of 1945-1975; the response of civilian populations and governments to that military conflict; and post- 1 975 Vietnam. Evaluation methods include map-based examinations to familiarize students with the geography of the region and to underscore how geography and history intersect. Examinations include both essay and objective questions that require students to integrate information from lecture and from readings drawn from both primary and secondary sources that examine Vietnam's struggles from different viewpoints. Also required is a research/writing project that explores some specific dimension of the American or Vietnamese homefront experience during 1965-1973, the peak years of the U.S. military effort. This course deepens knowledge about Asian cultures introduced in History 010 and 011 (World History). It supports both the interdisciplinary East Asian studies major and Asian Area Studies minor. This course is accepted for the Military Studies minor. History 173 satisfies both General Education and Bachelor of Arts degree requirements for Humanities.

General Education: GH
Diversity: IL
Bachelor of Arts: Other Cultures and Social and Behavioral Sciences
Effective: Spring 2006

Note : Class size, frequency of offering, and evaluation methods will vary by
location and instructor. For these details check the specific course syllabus.

This is the official bulletin of The Pennsylvania State University.
Programmatic expectations for General Education are those in effect at the
time of admission to degree candidacy, and college and major requirements
are those in effect at the time of entry to college and major. These are
accurately indicated in each student's degree audit.

The University reserves the right to change the requirements and regulations
listed here and to determine whether a student has satisfactorily met its
requirements for admission or graduation, and to reject any applicant for
any reason the University determines to be material to the applicant's
qualifications to pursue higher education. Nothing in this material should
be considered a guarantee that completion of a program and graduation from
the University will result in employment.

The University Faculty Senate has responsibility for and authority over all
academic information contained in the Undergraduate Bulletin.